The Instruments of Darkness
by Kendoka Girl
Summary: A Dark Side ending inspired by Padawan Mage. Carth confronts Revan one last time.
1. The final betrayal

Ok, I've been on hiatus for a bit, but Kaarlo has inspired me so merci mon ami. Being a goody two shoes, I've favored LS stories, but the DS ending he showed me was heavy, so I thought I'd try and honor it with a story. Sorry I haven't been reading much, but I do have a stack of printouts of all of your stuff. Again, Kaarlo is awesome! So, without further ado...the unedited DS ending.

**Above the Rakatan Planet as the Republic Fleet approaches the Star Forge**

The shuttle broke the last layer of atmosphere above the Rakatan planet, leaving wispy trails of ozone behind it. It streaked away from death and betrayal toward a destiny that none could have foreseen. The last gossamer strands of stratosphere dissipated behind the ion exhaust, letting darkness embrace the craft.

At the pilot's seat, Carth Onasi sat, hunched…broken…betrayed. He choked up bile and let the warm, putrid fluid spill from his mouth onto the cockpit floor. He wiped his cracked lips with the back of his sleeve, baring his teeth, tasting the vile acid that was his last meal. His last meal with her.

His bloodshot eyes scanned the instruments, looking for the massive Star Forge. He saw the Republic fleet deploying in battle formations, ready to engage the Sith forces of Malak that stood in readiness around their master. Carth choked again, but no more tears would come. The time for tears was over.

"No…." he said, over and over again as if it would drive his demons away and wake him from this dark dream. He closed his eyes momentarily and saw the great Wookiee, Zaalbar tear a young Twi'lek girl limb from limb. Carth could still hear the screaming in his head. "Mission…no…. I'm I'm so sorry."

Now, it was his own screaming that he heard – a long rending, soulless scream. He beat his fists on the instrument panel, shattering one of the gauges. "How could you do that, Revan? How could you force Zaalbar to kill his best friend?"

Carth's head was filled with the last gurgling of the Wookiee's labored breaths after Zaalbar had sliced his own throat open at Revan's command. He saw in his mind, his lover's pale skin, marbled with blue veins along with her fiery eyes, filled with hateful glee. In Revan's place stood a demon. The pilot bit deep into the back of his own hand, tasting his own blood, holding back the oblivion that was his destiny with the pain. The shame that he felt in fleeing that carnage on the beach was bottomless and he knew that he too, could never be redeemed now. His face burned red with anger and remorse.

The Republic fleet engaged the Sith and, in the fray, Carth saw an opening and dashed his shuttle into the command bay of the mighty Star Forge. He slammed the craft onto the deck, throwing sparks across the empty bay. His bleary eyes scanned the deck, seeing no opposition and he jammed the lever for the hatch.

"I must find her. I must find her," he whispered robotically. Like a damaged automaton, the soldier walked stiffly to the open portal. The muscles of his face twitched violently, twisting his handsome features into a scowl tinged with madness. "I let it happen all over again. I was so blind."

He reached the blast doors to the bay and knew that she lay beyond, most likely fighting for her life against Malak. Maybe it was better if she died here? Maybe Malak should win? Either way, the Republic would lose.

He turned back to look out of the open bay past the force field and saw the violence that had erupted around the station – burning ships and flitting starfighters. Beyond that, lay the stars, cold and unmoving and he thought that they looked like the eyes of the gods, staring down at him…judging him…finding him wanting.

"There is no turning back."


	2. It ends in darkness

Ok, you all know the story, so I won't bog you down in backstory. This is quick and unedited. We pick up at the end of Revan and Malak's final duel as Revan destroys the chambers holding the Jedi. There is one last chapter and there will be a twist.

Many thanks to Padawan Mage again for the inspiration and the clips of the scenes. Thanks also to Thug and Jord.

Just some other malarkey, but I'm stoked that I won a big pistol competition and we just got in our daisho set (Japanese swords) which you can see on our lj.

Please enjoy and thank you.

**Aboard the Mighty Star Forge**

A sunburst of sparks exploded from the holding chamber and it burst like a water balloon, spilling fluid onto the metal deck of the Star Forge. Shards of transparisteel shot in all directions as liquid washed the body of a fallen Jedi out of the prison. The blackened corpse rolled lifeless on the floor, seared by the heat of Revan's flying blade.

Malak's mind exploded like a nova and he let out a howl of psychic agony, rending the fabric of the Force with its fury. His connection to the mindless husks of humanity went both ways – while he could draw upon their power, their destruction would stab him like a white hot stiletto of the Force. The Dark Lord staggered and his muscled frame seemed to shrink as the Force devoured his energy.

The cerulean lightsaber spun back to Revan's hand, hissing like a snake. Viscous fluid from the chamber flowed around her black boots, splashing onto her black, Star Forge robes. She wheeled about and held her twin weapons, casting a blue glow that rippled across the water, their quiet hum drowned out by Malak's shrieks. A faint smile escaped her lips, which were framed by a crimson half mask that obscured her upper face, giving her a demonic visage.

Malak wiped the tears of rage with the back of his armored sleeve and he shot a glare at Revan that could pierce her like daggers. With his eyes narrowed and burning with golden fire, he stood tall and gripped his lightsaber with both hands like a bat. He took a long, deep breath, making gurgling noises and then he charged like a maddened bull as his ruby weapon hissed out its deadly intent.

The smile left Revan's lips.

Revan somersaulted backward as Malak cut the empty space that had been her body a split second before and a bloody afterglow ripped through the air. She sliced upward with her own weapon, but Malak intercepted the blade with his own and parried it away with a flick of his wrist. The strength of his arms was so great that it opened a gap in Revan's guard as the blades crackled.

Malak aimed the point of his lightsaber at his enemy's chest and drove it forward, pushing the searing needle at her. Seeing the fiery tip, Revan spun her main weapon in a circle and knocked the thrust away, letting it pass an inch from her shoulder where she could feel the heat of the blade.

Revan moved to riposte, but a gauntleted fist slammed into her head, and white hot pain filled her senses. She spun about like a rag doll, her mask flying into space. Nothing but pain reverberated in every fiber of her being, but she fought to keep her feet. With one eye open, all she could see was an arc of crimson light that grew larger with every millisecond.

In the blink of an eye, Revan inhaled the heady scent of the Force and the world around her grew quiet. Malak's lightning cut came to screeching halt as time stood still, his blade held in suspended animation. Revan marveled at the beauty of the weapon, now able to see ruby photons of light dancing in deadly unison, seeking to take her head.

Then, in an instant, she spun, raking her two lightsabers across his belly and time leapt forward, freeing Malak from his temporal prison. Light met armor and then flesh and bone and blood. Smoking hot innards spilled from the sizzling gash and sprayed upon the cold metal of the deck. Revan completed her turn and stood, weight on her back leg, lightsabers pointed heavenward like hot spikes.

Malak blinked hard and then looked down at his entrails. He tried to keep his feet, tried to lunge at his tormentor, but his body was broken. He reached out his left hand in supplication, begging the Force for strength, but he was abandoned. Then, the Dark Lord of the Sith, crumpled like a paper bag.

"Im…impossible. I…I cannot be beaten. I am the Dark Lord of the Sith," he said incredulously as if his words would change his destiny. His lightsaber fell from his shaking hands and he tried desperately to stuff his guts back in his belly.

Revan cocked her head and then raised her nose. _Futile, Malak…futile…._

"The Star Forge is _mine_ again, fool."

He coughed, his mechanized voice wheezing like a punctured airbag. "I cannot deny it any longer. You are the one who deserves…who deserves to be the Dark Lord. You led us here…I only followed in your wake."

"I tried to usurp your rule, to steal the title of Sith Master from you," he continued, growing ever weaker as his life force flowed between his fingers onto the ground. "But now I understand. The destiny is yours, Revan, not mine."

Revan thumbed her weapons off, letting them crackle back into their sheaths. She looked down at the pathetic creature that had been her apprentice, and she yawned.

Malak looked up into her eyes, her dead, soulless eyes, yellow and sickly and he knew that he was lost forever in the darkness of the void. For a moment, as his vision faded, he thought he saw a beautiful young girl with a flower behind her ear, laughing in the fields of Dantooine. Then, the girl was gone, replaced by a dark statue of ice, looking down on him as if he were vermin. "You…you are the Dark Lord of the Sith, Revan and I…I am nothing…."

Revan chuckled at some inside joke and gazed right through Malak, chilling him to the core. "You should have known, Malak, that you could never defeat your master."

He tried one last time to summon strength…to stand and face her, but his life force was spent. His vision blurred and his arms felt as lead. He slipped on the slick coat of viscera that had pooled at his feet. It was over. "And it ends as I always thought it would…in darkness."


	3. The Heart of the Force

A/N - Ok, here's the finale. Big thanks to Padawan Mage! I added a twist to your inspiration. Thank you all for your time in reviewing and for the invites to your great stories.

Random notes - I advanced to the next stage in the local Bianchi Cup pistol competition and won the bullseye shootoff. Our katana cuts magnificently.

**On the Star Forge**

Carth sprinted to the blast doors, his heart hammering in his chest as he drew nearer to what would surely be his end. Sweat dripped from his fingers and trickled down his face, staining his orange jacket. All he could do to keep his whole body from trembling was to dig his fingers into the grips of his blaster pistols. He stopped for a moment and thought of drawing them.

"What good would it do?" he asked himself. "If she's this far gone, I wouldn't even scratch her."

He looked down at the weapon in its leather holster – he found that he liked natural materials, not the synthetic ones. They seemed so much more real…more alive.

_This was Bendak's blaster_, he thought, smiling in spite of the situation. _She gave it to me after she killed him._ A tiny bit of his frozen heart thawed as he pictured Revan's demure look as she presented him with the pistol back on Taris. _So long ago…a lifetime ago._

"How am I going to stop her?" he whispered. "Me and two tiny blasters against the Dark Lord reborn…."

Carth put his hand against the cold metal of the blast door and took a deep breath. He knew in his heart that she couldn't be far away now. Then, as if ordained by destiny, the blast doors parted and the lump in Carth's throat froze. He saw a figure walking toward him, growing larger with each step. He could not recognize her in the black Star Forge Robes, but knew it was her. She walked with an arrogant grace that shouted victory with every step.

_Every step that brings my doom closer. Be brave, Carth, old boy. Be brave for Morgana and Dustil…and Revan._

He licked his dry lips and fought to stand his ground – the urge to flee in terror nearly overwhelming him. Revan radiated unholy power, darkening the room as she approached. A chill began to permeate the air.

Carth opened his mouth, but no sounds would come. He cleared his throat and the words came. "So, you killed Malak. Somehow…I always knew you would." He could think of nothing else to say and he knew he sounded foolish.

Revan looked distracted, but the sound of Carth's voice brought her attention to him – she seemed surprised. "Carth, how did you get here?" Despite her pale, icy appearance, her voice sounded warm and familiar.

Carth's heart leapt for a moment. It was as if all of this were just a dark dream - he would just snap his fingers and he would wake in her arms and she would coo softly to him and they would laugh at his paranoid fantasies. If only it were so.

Again, he took a deep breath. The words were easier now. "The Republic fleet picked me up and I told them of your betrayal. But, I also told them I couldn't abandon you. I made that promise."

"I _had_ to come. I had to find a way to free you from yourself."

Revan flared her nostrils and looked away. Carth could see that he could still touch her. "And how," she asked, "do you propose to do that?"

He could see the familiar doubt in her posture…could hear the familiar tone in her voice. _I know she's in there. I can feel it._

"All you have to do is listen to me. That's all I ask." _Small requests…small gains…that's how I won her before._

Before she could answer, another set of blast doors flew open and Bastila Shan rushed in. She too, was clad in black, wielding twin ruby lightsabers. A sneer was painted on her lips as she stopped to stand beside Revan, her new master. "Carth, I knew I sensed your presence here," she said in that infuriatingly arrogant tone of hers that dripped with disdain. "I should have known that you would find one final way to meddle in things."

Carth's gut tightened several notches and he wheeled to face the newcomer. "Don't interfere, Bastila! This is between me and Revan." His hands instinctively released the retention straps on his holsters.

Bastila leaned back and put a hand on her hip. Her nose turned up and Carth wanted to wipe that look away. "You are a fool. Revan has already made her choice and there is no turning back," she said, punching her weapon out to make her point. Then, she turned to face Revan and her posture immediately became submissive. "Don't listen to him, master. Let me strike him down!" she said, stabbing her finger at Carth. "Seize your victory!"

Revan's eyes widened as if she were thinking. She held up her hand and Carth could see that he was making inroads…he could feel her heart melting. "No," she said. "Let him speak. I want to hear what he has to say."

The tide was turning. Despite his hate and his anger and his pain, Carth could not deny his own feelings. He could not hold back.

"I love you. Even now…even after…after all that you have done. I love you like I haven't loved anyone since Morgana died. I didn't even think that was possible."

_There, I said it. I meant it._

He looked into her eyes and knew she was hearing him. "You may not love me," he continued. "You may not love anything anymore now that you've gone over to the Dark Side…but I _know_ that there is some part of you that I can still reach."

"There's a part of you that still believes in hope…and mercy…and love, and that part knows that it will soon be gone forever."

Carth saw Revan tense her jaw, like she always did when she was sad. He saw the mist in her eyes until the moment was shattered by Bastila's prattling.

"Your words are meaningless," Bastila mocked. "You have no idea of the power we could wield. Revan will rule the galaxy."

The Dark Lord looked back and forth between the two fencers and Carth could see her eyes pleading with him. "Carth, it's not too late for you to join us."

He could see that he was gaining the upper ground, but this was still a dangerous game. _Now it's time to end this. I cannot go back. We can be together though. Morgana, I'll see you soon. Dustil, we'll wait for you. Grow up to be the man I could not be. _

"No, it's too late for that. And it's too late for you to turn back…but you can end this here. There is still time for one final act of redemption."

Revan cocked her head, waiting for his revelation.

"Kill Bastila," he said. "Without her Battle Meditation the Republic will destroy the Star Forge and rid the galaxy of this evil." Bastila stiffened with horror and rage, but Revan seemed to have expected his proposal.

"And what would happen to me," Revan asked, but she already knew the answer.

Carth smiled again, that old space dog smile that had captured her heart once before. "Stay here on the Star Forge with me. We won't have time to get off before it's destroyed…not if you stop Bastila. Our sacrifice can save the Republic."

"If you don't…all you have is emptiness and darkness," he urged, gesticulating with his hands. "You _don't_ want that! Please…don't want that," he said, trailing off, praying that she would still listen to him. "Stay…let's end this now…together."

He saw that she was crying now, beautiful tears of regret cascading down her cheeks. Her hard features were softer now, almost girlish and a warm hue had crept back into her flesh. She turned back to face him and bit her lip. "You would die for me? I…never knew. I…alright…I'll do it. For you, Carth."

Bastila exploded. "No! I won't let you do this! Don't be a fool, Revan!"

Carth had set Revan in a tail spin and he could see the wheels of the master strategist working. "You could join us, Bastila," Revan said. "Turn away from the Dark Side."

Bastila would have none of it. "NO! You can't do this. Not when we're so close!" Carth's wish was granted – Bastila's smirk had vanished. With a howl of rage, Bastila spun her lightsabers in a wide arc and slashed down at Revan, hoping to smite her. The red blades cut through the air, leaving behind a light trail.

In the blink of an eye, Revan's lightsabers flew to her waiting hands and the blades snap-hissed from their sheaths, blocking the blow. The crackle of energy pierced the room, causing Carth to take a step back. Revan drew her strong arm back and thrust at Bastila's head, but the apprentice dodged smoothly to the side, letting the hot spike glide by.

With a desperate snarl, Bastila swept her weapon at Revan's legs and the Dark Lord was forced to somersault backward to avoid the cut. As she landed, Bastila charged, focusing her rage and frustration into a single cut. She twirled her weapon about her body like a baton, cutting great crimson swaths in the air so fast it looked as if she was covered in a red glow. The rage on her face was so feral she no longer looked human.

The cut came in a wide, slashing arc, high at Revan's head. The master strategist saw the move and stepped in. With a mighty stroke, Revan clove her opponent's weapon in two, foiling the attack. Bastila's eyes changed from fury to surprise as Revan's second weapon struck home.

Carth saw the point of a lightsaber erupt out of Bastila's back and glide through her body until the hilt touched her chest. Although this is what he had wished for, it shocked and nauseated him to see it done. Bastila was dead.

Revan powered down her weapon with a final _whoosh_ and Bastila fell into her arms. Revan cradled her to the ground and began stroking her hair. "What have I done, Bastila? What have I done? Why did it come to this?"

Carth rushed over and held her from behind. "It's done…Bastila is dead. Soon, the Republic fleet will break through and bombard the Star Forge. Then, it will finally be over," he said with a bittersweet edge. He sank his face into her neck, inhaling the faint scent of Deralian Jasmine. Perhaps, his life was not in vain.

She turned to face him and pulled him tight. Her tears soaked his collar. "We could still leave…go somewhere together."

Carth sighed, stroking her skin gently, letting his fingers feel and remember her touch. He kissed her tenderly, but then shook his head. "You know that can't happen. There's no turning back for you…just this ending."

"You were very brave to make the decision you did. I _love _you. You know that, right?"

Revan nodded reluctantly. She took his face in both hands and then kissed him, letting her lips brush along his skin. She clung to him as if they would embrace forever and she whispered softly, "I love you too, Carth. My heart was meant for only you."

_Pwshhhhhh!_

The lightsaber plunged through his heart and sizzled out his back, killing him instantly. His last breath wafted from his lips and Revan inhaled it, keeping the last of his essence. She unpowered her weapon and stood over his dead body, looking down with bittersweet agony.

"Goodbye, my love. I will never forget your sacrifice."

Then, she turned and headed for an escape shuttle, looking back once with a wry smile. "The Dark Lord has returned."


	4. The Spoof of Darkness

A/N - Ok, I was told to do a spoof of the previous story. Carth just doesn't catch a break.

**On the Rakatan Planet**

Carth Onasi looked up into the sky at the massive Star Forge, thinking about how Revan must be battling Malak for supremacy of the galaxy. Republic ships had gathered on the surface of the Rakatan planet, awaiting orders to begin the assault of the mighty station.

"I gotta get up there," he told a ground crewman. "I can't abandon Revan to her fate."

The man shook his head. "Sorry, dude, no room. There's a war on, you know."

Carth gesticulated wildly. "I must get up to the Star Forge…you don't understand. Wait! I have the Outer Rim Rewards Card…I have free miles!"

The technician looked at the card and ran it through a machine. "You're at your credit limit and besides, we have blackout dates. Here, fill out this Form RF 186-376-D Prime in triplicate and someone will get back to you."

"I don't have time! Revan is fighting Malak. She's betrayed the Republic!"

"Revan, Smevan, no form…no travel."

Carth rolled his eyes. "Gaaah! Okay, can I trade my miles for alternative travel? I'll take anything!"

The man looked over to a beat up swoop bike with a rocket booster and a space helmet. "Hmmm, I think we might be able to accommodate you. I suspect you'll need some insurance though…sign here…and here…and here. You understand that you accept all liability and waive the right to sue when…I mean should you meet with an untimely end."

"Whatever…just get me going."

The man handed Carth the helmet, which he strapped on. When Carth was bolted to the swoop bike, the man pointed to the Star Forge. "Aim for that and hang on!"

Rocket flame shot out the back and the bike leapt into the sky. "Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!"

**On the Star Forge**

Revan battled Malak for control of the mighty Star Forge, their lightsabers sizzling and humming. Malak's ruby blade hacked and slashed, driving Revan back, step by step. "I am the strongest, Revan," he said in his mechanized voice. "I am the one! You cannot defeat me here."

Revan retreated with a grunt and parried the next blow. "What is your secret? Is it this battle station?"

"No, Revan, it's my Sith Rewards Card. I had enough points to buy my vocabulator and the most powerful lightsaber lens in the galaxy!" he said with an arcing cut.

Revan smiled in spite of the bold statement. "Sith Rewards? You know that the Exchange bought them out, didn't you. You got nothing but junk, I'll bet."

Malak stopped short and a wire sprang out of his metal jaw. "Brrzzztzzz…I didn't know that. What's happening to me? Can I file a claim?" he asked as part of his metal jaw fell off. Then, there was a shattering sound and his lightsaber went dark.

Revan took the opportunity to skewer him like a pig and Malak fell over, bemoaning his fate. "Impossible! I had the Sith Rewards Card checked out. I am nothing…and now it ends…as I always thought it would…in darkness. What's in your wallet?" he uttered as he fell dead.

Just then, Carth burst through the blast door on his rocket swoop bike. "Aahhhhhhh!!!"

"Carth, what are you doing here?"

He peeled himself off of the wall and staggered over. "It was all I could get. Damn blackout dates. Oh, right…I'm here to save you from yourself."

"It's too late, Carth. I just inherited all of Malak's debts along with this useless Sith Rewards Card. Leave while there's still time."

Carth shook his head. "I'm not going to abandon you! I _love _you! You know that, right?"

"Well yes, but what kind of future would we have with bad credit?"

Carth made a broad motion with his hand. "We could start over…here…with our vacation."

"Can we afford it?"

"Sure, babes, I got the Outer Rim Rewards Card. I still have free miles."

Revan smiled. "It's a start," she said as she laid out a picnic blanket. "Look at the stars."

Just then, the Republic fleet blew a hole in the Star Forge. A tornado of air sucked the two upward and they hung on for dear life. "I just can't catch a break!" Carth wailed. "What's in your wallet?"


End file.
